Scholarship Opportunities
Bridge4Students Scholarships
Merit Scholarship​​ ​
​​
Fall 2025 application round is now closed.
Spring 2026 applications are expected to open
in November 2025, pending fundraising outcomes.​​
​​
Bridge4Students Merit Scholarship will help qualified students experiencing financial hardships due to conflict in their country cover a portion of outstanding school tuition expenses. The grant amounts will vary from $200 to $10,000 depending on:
- demonstrated need - the amount needed to enable the student to attend the educational program
- merit - academic achievement and potential​
​​​​
Merit Scholarship will prioritize qualified refugees - students who:
- have just fled war zones in their countries and have recently arrived in the US
- are starting their programs in US educational institutions
- have received or have applied for other financial assistance, but still require funds
- have demonstrated high academic achievements (min 3.5 GPA and other accomplishments)
​​​​
Review the full eligibility criteria and FAQs below.
​
​
​
We offer two merit-based scholarship application periods each year, depending on available funding:
-
May/June – for scholarships awarded for the upcoming Fall/Winter terms
-
November/December – for scholarships awarded for the upcoming Spring/Summer terms
Please note: Applications are only accepted during active application periods. We dedicate the rest of the year to fundraising efforts and are not able to provide ongoing financial assistance outside of these cycles, unless there is a true emergency situation (then please review requirements for our Bridge Grant).​​​​​​
Bridge Grant
​​​
Available for Emergency Situations Only
​​​
Bridge4Students may consider emergency requests for urgent educational expense coverage (up to $1,000) for international students and refugees from war-torn countries, provided the emergency is directly caused by a sudden, recent (within the past 90 days), and catastrophic event related to a war in their country. This event could not have been anticipated or planned for.
​​
-
Experiencing an emergency caused by a recent change in a living/family situation, caused by war
-
Experiencing urgent education-related financial needs (e.g., book fees, exam fees, Room & Board) due to sudden changes in their situation caused by the conflict in their country
-
Being unable to address this need through existing opportunities provided by their school or community (have asked for emergency funding and were denied)
-
They face a situation where the inability to cover these expenses prevents them from continuing their studies.
​
​
​
​​
Note: This Bridge Grant is intended for emergencies only, is a one-time grant, and, if granted, can only be transferred to students' university accounts. To qualify, students must clearly demonstrate and explain how they meet the criteria above and describe the unforeseen event that caused this emergency by emailing students@bridge4students.org.
​​​
Students whose needs do not meet the above criteria but who consider themselves high-performing students with ambitious life goals are encouraged to consider applying for a Merit Scholarship instead.​​​​​​
​
If you do not qualify for either of these opportunities and/or you have other questions regarding securing funding - please:
1) Review this guide FAQs for International Students - it may help you identify other ideas or companies that can help you in your search for opportunities
2) Review lists with other Private and Foundation Scholarships and University Funding Programs below
Note: At Bridge4Students we welcome free exchange of ideas, even on emotionally charged issues, in a manner that affirms the positive values of equality, honesty, responsibility, nonviolence, acceptance, fairness, compassion, hard work, and restraint. We do NOT tolerate any form of hate speech or any form of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism, or any other form of violence, hatred, or bigotry in any applications.
Application Timeline: Application Deadline: June 10, 2025, 11:59 pm EST Interview Period: May 19 to June 18, 2025       (For applicants with completed applications. You’ll be able to schedule your interview at the end of the application) Final Decisions: by mid-July 2025.  ​ IMPORTANT: Interviews are a required step of the process. Applying close to the deadline may leave too little time to schedule one, which could affect your eligibility. Please apply early. ​
External Funding Opportunities
Private and Foundation Scholarships
A database of scholarships and financial aid opportunities that you might want to consider.
University Funding Programs
for International Students
A list of universities that you can use when choosing a university/college as a guide to potential funding and to connect with students who can share their experiences and insights about opportunities at these universities through our network.
Notable Resources
